Criticism of the regime from an AKP minister...

Former Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay has written a striking article. Günay stated that in the current structure, the voter is excluded from the decision-making mechanism.

In his analysis published on Medyascope, Günay criticized the democratic quality of the electoral system in Turkey in harsh terms.

Ertuğrul Günay wrote about how the voter is excluded from the decision-making mechanism in the current structure and the "crisis of representation" created by the fact that parliamentary candidates are determined by political centers instead of the public.

In his article titled 'Can the nation choose its deputy?', the experienced politician Ertuğrul Günay stated that the idea of "the nation choosing its deputy" has turned into an illusion under current laws and practices.

"THE VOTER HAS BEEN SIDELINED"

Reminding that current legal regulations offer parties options such as primary elections, candidate polls, or central selection, Günay argues that in practice, the voter is sidelined. In his article, Günay summarizes this situation with the following words:

"Millions of voters are ultimately faced with the obligation to approve a list formed by the preferences of a few people, at most a few hundred, or a few thousand people. As long as this system, which turns the voter into a mandatory and ordinary element of approval, does not change, it is impossible for the nation to have a say and decision-making power in choosing its deputy."

‘’Those elected are in reality not deputies but appointed party officials’’

Stating that the lack of transparency and democracy in the candidate determination process directly affects the quality of parliament, Günay noted that those elected show loyalty to the leaders who appointed them rather than to the public.

"Those elected through this system are in reality not 'deputies' but appointed party officials, and this is the political reality that largely hinders democratization in Turkey."

"IT IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE VOTER MEETS THE CANDIDATE"

Stating that large electoral districts sever the bond between the voter and the candidate, Günay argues that electoral districts should be downsized to ensure justice and effectiveness in representation. Pointing out that candidates are not known, especially in crowded districts, he makes the following proposal:

"Electoral districts should be reorganized so as not to exceed a single digit (for example, 9). Ensuring the acquaintance between the voter and the candidate is a prerequisite that cannot be ignored for a real election."

''THERE CAN BE NO DEMOCRACY WITH A SYSTEM WHERE THE SEPARATION OF POWERS CANNOT BE REALIZED''

Former Minister of State Günay pointed to the inseparable link between the electoral system and the principle of separation of powers. He concluded his analysis by stating that the absolute dominance of party headquarters over candidate determination makes democracy impossible:

"In a system where deputies are appointed by party headquarters, 'separation of powers' cannot be realized, regardless of what it is called. And there can be no democracy with a system where the separation of powers cannot be realized; it cannot be."

WHO IS ERTUĞRUL GÜNAY?

Ertuğrul Günay served as a deputy from the AKP in the 23rd and 24th terms and as Minister of Culture and Tourism between 2007 and 2013. Günay resigned from the AKP in 2013.

News Source: 12punto